Android 4.2 pushing security hard: possible new features explored

Android 4.2 Alpha already gave us clues that Google is stepping up security, but digging deeper into the Alpha reveals just how serious the company gets about safety. Not all of the features found in the code are guaranteed to arrive in the final version, just like multi-user access is in the code of Jelly Bean, but is not yet made available to users.

With that in mind, first comes Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux). The kernel add-ons makes it so that apps don’t have access to all files. You can pick from three options from SELinux: Disabled, Permissive and Enforcing. Permissive will log apps activity but won’t actually block apps root access and Enforcing does just that - blocking apps for maximum safety. This will bring almost desktop-like security options to Android, and with so many reports (true or not) about malware on the platform, it’s most definitely good news.

Secondly, the code mentions VPN lockdown. This is a change from the current model that allows data to be sent over regular connection when users sign out of a VPN network, and that won’t be possible with this new feature.

Finally, and probably most importantly, Android gets itself effectively rid of SMS scam schemes. How? Some apps work undercover sending paid text messages to select numbers without letting you know about it. You’d still have to pay hefty sums for those texts. Now, Google will simply detect whenever an app sends such a message and put out a message right away to warn you.

All of those seem like that extra coating of security Android needs, and shows how quickly the mobile OS is advancing and approaching desktop-like level.

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The more and more Android becomes like a desktop OS the less and less I'd be surprised if we see PC's vanish in the future. Eventually all you'll need is a monitor connected to a cellphone dock, and a wireless mouse and keyboard. Voila. Full PC. Seeing devices like the Padfone 2 only make this eventuality more likely.

Yeah for now... But all of that will be replaced once you can run those programs on your phone. As I said, you'll simply attach your phone to a dock, which is connected to a monitor, and it will automatically change modes and become a full PC.

I agree that this'll take about five or so years to become mainstream... but I think it's inevitable that it will happen at some point. That includes gaming... Apples new A6 chip is potentially more powerful than anything a 360 can produce. I think that's telling of the future.

Exactly. And software development. One should not mistake the consumption device for the development & production system. Obviously, Amazon and Apple want you to believe the contrary. Remember when Steve Jobs infamously said that tablets smaller than the iPad are useless because of the size of people's thumbs? Well, now they make one. The "truth" is whatever the marketing strategy of a handful of large corporations.

"and shows how quickly the mobile OS is advancing and approaching desktop-like level."

wow, how biased can you be, android is way to slow in implementing SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE FROM THE START...and saying "but is not yet made available to users", only shows that android now is not secure. oh man, goodluck with that. Just take note of the date that this article was posted and when it will be implemented

"and shows how quickly the mobile OS is advancing and approaching desktop-like level."
I can't agree with that, in more than one sense mobile OS (not only Android) are more secure than the desktop ones. Examples of security that is built in mobile OS and not in a desktop one:
1) Applicaitons need to pass trought the OS to call other applications, so they can be blocked or allowed by the user.
2) Applicaitons can't access the data or files of other apps, they are blackboxed that are only allowed to talk to the kernel. By default in a desktop OS the programs have access to all the files.
3) When installing you can check the rights the application will ask for (Have windows or linux ever told you that when installing a program?)

So in general the mobile OS are built in to be more secure than desktop ones. The reason behind is that you normally have loads of sensible data in your phone, that you may or may not have in your computer: your friends phones and addresses being just one example.

Android seems to be on a roll lately. The versions up to Gingerbread were more evolutionary. It always got better, but wasn't a huge departure from the previous version. Since Duarte came over from Palm, Android has seem some major changes, in both UI, and functionality. Having greater OS security is always a good thing.

Android is on top right now, and they are not resting on their laurels. This is good news.

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